The Government has promised it will overturn a narrow House of Lords defeat for "John Smith's law".

Peers sparked fury by rejecting plans to close the loophole which allows parents who kill their children to get away with murder by remaining silent.

The Argus began campaigning for the law to be changed four years ago after the death of John, who was four.

The boy was left with 54 injuries after abuse by adoptive parents Simon and Michelle McWilliam, from Southwick.

They were jailed for eight years on cruelty charges.

Murder charges were dropped because it could not be proved who delivered the fatal blows.

The Lords voted 128 to 110 to reject the "familial homicide" part of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill.

However, the Home Office said it would not give in to peers, who have frustrated a number of Government Bills in the past month.

A spokesman said: "We will reinstate these clauses when the Bill goes to the House of Commons. We are committed to getting this measure through."

Brighton Kemptown Labour MP Dr Des Turner, who has backed The Argus's campaign from the start, said: "I am very angry with the Lords for doing this.

"Up to this point there had been cross-party support and it had not been opposed by the Lords."

The Bill would have created the offence of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult.

Refusal to speak would lead to prosecution, with a likely maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.

In the Lords, Liberal Democrat Lord Thomas of Gresford said: "It cannot be justice for a person to be convicted of murder if there is no case to answer against that person, simply because they are silent out of loyalty, love, intimidation, fear, family responsibility or any other emotion which may require his or her silence."

Home Office Minister Baroness Scotland of Asthal said the law change was needed and was based on Law Commission proposals.